Promoting interfaith unity on 9/11 anniversary

THE anniversary of 9/11 is a poignant occasion to reflect on why we insist on seeing people of other faiths as fundamentally “other” when there is so much that we share. While great strides have been made in promoting inter-religious understanding, people in the United States and elsewhere are being attacked because of their religion, both verbally and physically. These attacks are often fueled by fear and misunderstanding.
Just this summer in the United States, we saw the terrible killings of Sikhs in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, the burning of a mosque in Joplin, Missouri, and the terrorizing of Jewish children at a summer camp in Pennsylvania. Many more instances of religious bigotry go unpublicized. Now more than ever, people of conscience need to literally stand together, showing the world that people of different faiths can focus on what unites us, rather than what divides us.
In my own life, I have found such an occasion to stand with others by helping to organize and attending the annual 9/11 Unity Walk.
This year the 8th Annual 9/11 Unity Walk, took place on Sunday, Sept. 9 in the heart of Washington, DC. The 9/11 Unity Walk is a Gandhi-style walk where every church, synagogue, mosque and temple along Washington, DC’s “Embassy Row,” opens its doors, and people of different faiths and cultures come together to build bridges of respect and peace.
The walk was conceived in the years following the attacks of Sept. 11, partly in response to the growing intolerance, suspicion and fear directed toward Muslims and, more broadly, in response to a general increase in inter-religious tensions.
This year, the Unity Walk’s theme was “From Different Paths, We Walk as One.” During the walk, we were addressed by faith leaders and observed a moment of silence for all victims of religious prejudice and violence.
The most memorable experiences of the walk included hearing the Muslim call to prayer at a synagogue, and being served a meal by the Sikh community during which we experienced the bountiful hospitality traditionally offered to those on a journey.
Numerous Christian churches — Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox and Evangelical — opened their doors, giving tours showcasing the practices, art and music of their traditions.
At the Islamic Center of Washington, we listened to the Jewish shofar and a children’s Gospel choir sang on the steps of the mosque. We sat in awe at the beauty of the mosque and were present as our Muslim brothers and sisters prayed. These reciprocal and radical acts of hospitality between faiths are integral to the Unity Walk and send a powerful message.
But the walk is important not only because it takes place on the anniversary of 9/11, but also because it has propelled those involved to become active on an ongoing basis, and in so doing has taken this unique experience of interfaith camaraderie beyond the anniversary of 9/11. Service — feeding the hungry, caring for those who are suffering — is at the heart of all faith traditions, and accordingly students spoke during the walk about what they have learned by engaging in service with friends from different faiths. These students held a workshop for faith communities, schools and families who are interested in starting their own Interfaith Youth Action Groups (IYAGs), in partnership with the Unity Walk.
We now believe that interfaith service is one of the most powerful ways we can expand the Unity Walk’s mission, showing that we can be united rather than divided by our many faiths.
As we stand together, at the 9/11 Unity Walk, we illuminate what was formerly mysterious and build relationships. United in our common purpose, we move from fearing the “other” to building a community.

n This article was written for the Common Ground News Service.